Woman lies to officer to avoid going back to jail

A Madison woman was arrested last Friday after speeding in and out of lanes on East Washington and lying to an officer about her identity, according to a release.

An officer observed Brooke M. Blanchette, 36, driving a silver Honda Civic in and out of traffic at elevated speeds around 6:15 p.m. in the 3600 block of East Washington Avenue, officials said. The officer had to increase his speed to 49 miles per hour to catch the vehicle.

Blanchette told the officer she had no idea why she had been stopped, that she did not have her driver’s license, and that she did not know her current address or her phone number, according to the release. She told police she did not know the information because she recently moved from Colorado.

The officer told Blanchette he would have to take her to the Dane County Jail to verify her identity, but while she was being placed in handcuffs she told the officer she had lied, according to the release.

Blanchette had identified herself using her sister’s name and information, police said. She told the officer she lied because she didn’t want to go back to the jail because she had been there two days earlier for obstructing an officer.

Blanchette was arrested on charges of obstructing an officer, unsafe lane deviation, operating a vehicle with a suspended license and operating a vehicle with suspended registration.